SUPPORT FOR REGIONAL ESTH HUB IN OMAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 001788

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR OES, NEA
DEPT ALSO FOR OES/PCI, NEA/EX, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARPI
AMMAN FOR ESTH/JWHITTLESEY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV TBIO KSCA TC
SUBJECT: SUPPORT FOR REGIONAL ESTH HUB IN OMAN

REF: A) 04 MUSCAT 274 B) SANAA 918


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: EMBASSY ABU DHABI STRONGLY
SUPPORTS ESTABLISHING A REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT,
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND HEALTH HUB OFFICE IN OMAN TO
PROVIDE PROGRAMMATIC AND POLICY SUPPORT TO THE UAE
AND THE WIDER GULF REGION. THE ENHANCED EXPERTISE
AND EXPERIENCE OF THE HUB OFFICE WOULD ALLOW THE U.S.
TO DEEPEN ITS TRADE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS IN THE
UAE, AS WELL AS TO ENCOURAGE GREATER REGIONAL
SCIENTIFIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION,
PARTICULARLY IN THE AREAS OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION,
WATER RESERVES AND MANAGEMENT, AND GULF-RELATED
ISSUES OF OVERFISHING, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND OFFSHORE
CONSTRUCTION. END SUMMARY.

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TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT
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2. (SBU) THE U.S. AND THE UAE ARE CURRENTLY
NEGOTIATING A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT THAT CONTAINS A
CHAPTER ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND A MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING ON ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION. WE WILL
NEED A WAY TO ENCOURAGE THE UAEG TO ENFORCE ITS
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS EFFECTIVELY. MORE
COOPERATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, SCIENTIST
EXCHANGES, AND INFORMATION SHARING WOULD GREATLY
ENHANCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION GOALS OF AN
FTA, AND A OMAN-BASED ESTH HUB OFFICE WOULD PLAY AN
IMPORTANT ROLE IN FURNISHING THE EXPERTISE AND
RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT THIS ENHANCED COOPERATION.

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ENERGY CONSUMPTION
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3. (SBU) PER CAPITA ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN THE UAE IS
AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD. THE WORLD WILDLIFE
FEDERATION'S 2004 LIVING PLANET REPORT LISTED THE UAE
AS THE COUNTRY WITH THE LARGEST ECOLOGICAL IMPACT PER
CAPITA, PRIMARILY FOR THE SIGNIFICANT AREA OF LAND
REQUIRED TO ABSORB THE CO2 WASTE FROM FOSSIL FUELS.
RESIDENTS USE LARGE AMOUNTS OF ELECTRICITY AND WATER
TO REGULATE TEMPERATURE (THROUGH AIR CONDITIONING IN
THE EXTREME HEAT OF SUMMER). THE FAST PACE OF
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED
ELECTRICITY AND WATER ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE HIGH PER
CAPITA ENERGY CONSUMPTION.

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WATER RESERVES AND MANAGEMENT
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4. (SBU) THE UAE IS LARGELY A DESERT COUNTRY, AND AS
SUCH, ITS GROUND WATER RESERVES ARE ONE OF ITS MOST
IMPORTANT NATURAL RESOURCES, AND ALSO PARTICULARLY
VULNERABLE TO EXPLOITATION. THE UNITED STATES
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY HAS BEEN OPERATING IN THE EMIRATE
OF ABU DHABI SINCE 1991, MAINTAINING WELLS AND
COLLECTING AND ANALYZING DATA ON FRESH WATER GROUND
RESERVES. MAJOR STRESSES ON WATER RESERVES INCLUDE
THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR, THE FORESTRIES PROGRAM, AND
EXCESSIVE WATER USAGE. ALTHOUGH THE UAEG IS
REVIEWING THESE PROGRAMS, IT NEEDS TO IMPROVE ITS
MANAGEMENT OF GROUND WATER RESERVES.


5. (SBU) NEARLY ALL OF THE WATER PRODUCED IN THE UAE
IS DESALINATED SEAWATER. THERE IS NO STRATEGIC
RESERVE OF GROUND WATER OR DESALINATED WATER IN THE
UAE, A POTENTIAL SECURITY CONCERN. THERE IS ONLY
ENOUGH DESALINATED WATER IN THE PIPELINE TO SUPPLY
ABOUT 3 DAYS OF WATER. THE UAE NEEDS TO DO MORE
STUDY INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACT OF
DESALINATED WATER OVER THE LONG TERM. ANOTHER KEY
AREA NEEDING MORE STUDY IS THE SCIENTIFIC EFFECTS OF
AQUIFER RECHARGING USING DESALINATED WATER. AS THE
NUMBER OF DESALINATION PLANTS CONTINUES TO INCREASE,
CONTINUAL MONITORING OF THE IMPACT OF THE PLANTS
THEMSELVES ON THE SEA (IN TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY)
IS NEEDED.

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SUSTAINABLE HEALTH OF THE GULF
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6. (SBU) OVERFISHING OF MARINE STOCKS IN THE PERSIAN
GULF IS ANOTHER KEY ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITY. CLIMATE
CHANGE IN THE GULF ALSO HAS AN IMPACT ON THE MARINE
STOCKS. LIKE MANY OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE
UAE, OVERFISHING HAS A SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT SINCE
MANY OF THE FISHERMEN ARE AMONG THE POOREST EMIRATI
NATIONALS. PRESERVING THE INDUSTRY ALSO HAS CULTURAL
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE RAPIDLY CHANGING POPULATION.


7. (SBU) FOUR HUGE OFFSHORE PROJECTS IN DUBAI HAVE
STARTED CAUSING SOME CHANGES IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT
TERM, AND SOME ENVIRONMENTALLY-CONCERNED RESIDENTS
HAVE BEGUN RAISING CONCERNS. THE PALM ISLAND
JUMEIRAH, A BILLION-DOLLAR-PLUS ARTIFICIAL ISLAND IN
THE SHAPE OF A PALM TREE HAS REDUCED VISIBILITY,
AFFECTED THE UNDERWATER FAUNA, AND EVEN CHANGED THE
WATER FLOWS IN ITS VICINITY. THE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STUDIES FOR THIS PROJECT INDICATE THAT THESE
NEGATIVE EFFECT WILL BE SHORT-TERM, AND THAT
EVENTUALLY THE VISIBILITY WILL INCREASE AND THE FAUNA
WILL BECOME MORE DIVERSIFIED THAN BEFORE. THE CHANGE
IN WATER FLOWS HAS LED TO MORE BEACH EROSION, BUT THE
DEVELOPERS ARE TAKING STEPS TO PREVENT THIS,
INCLUDING BY BUILDING PROTECTIVE BARRIERS. TWO OTHER
PALM ISLANDS, AND 593,000 SQUARE FEET OF ARTIFICIAL
ISLANDS CALLED THE WORLD, ARE ALSO PLANNED OR UNDER
CONSTRUCTION.

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COMMENT
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8. (SBU) ENHANCED ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION BETWEEN
THE U.S. AND UAE WILL HELP ADVANCE U.S. POLICY GOALS
ON FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS AND ENHANCE REGIONAL
COOPERATION IN THE GULF. AN ESTH HUB IN OMAN WILL BE
ABLE TO INTEGRATE MANY ISSUES AFFECTING THE ENTIRE
GULF REGION, SUCH AS ENERGY CONSUMPTION, DESALINATION
AND WATER MANAGEMENT AND THE SUSTAINABLE HEALTH OF
THE GULF. BY LEVERAGING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, INCREASING LINKS BETWEEN U.S.
AND UAE SCIENTISTS, UNIVERSITIES, AND ORGANIZATIONS,
AND BY PROVIDING THE TIME AND EXPERTISE ON THESE
COMPLICATED ISSUES, AN ESTH HUB IN OMAN WILL FURTHER
U.S. POLICY GOALS AND IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE
U.S. AND THE UAE.

SISON